Magic vs. Sorcery: The Good, The Bad, and The Morally Debated

(images via Pinterest I take no credit for them)

I was trying to figure out what to post about next, and I realized that I haven't really talked about the magic system in my WIP Rage Like the Gods, which also happens to be the magic system in my other WIPs An Assassin's Guide to the Gods and its sequel An Immortal's Guide to the Gods (the joys of writing a series made up of books that are technically standalones means that I can work on book two and book one at the same time. I must admit 100% of the reason I am working on Assassin's Guide and Immortal's Guide at the same time is simply because I can).

And also the magic system in the upcoming novella I'm hoping to release in a few months, Between Gods and Demigods. Because they all take place in the same world... Ruskhazar.

So the magic system in RLtG is religion based.

I did a Q&A Blog Post a few months back where I really got into explaining the religious cultural views of the people in RLtG, so if you want a few more details, you can check that post. Mostly what I am going to focus on today are Meruna and the demigods. Not the character Meruna mind you, but the goddess she is named after (because the characters in RLtG are named after the gods which is where the title comes in... but yeah I digress). The Meruna I am talking about is the goddess of magic (and the virtues but that is slightly less important when it comes to discussing the magic system).

(am I over using parentheses?)

Anyway, all magic comes from Meruna, the gift to control magic was bestowed by her to the people of Ruskhazar, both elves and men (with the exception of the Highlanders who are actually magic immune). Magic in its natural form is basically an unseen force of potential energy that is literally everywhere. When a Magicker casts a spell, they are actually speaking to the magic and commanding it to do whatever they want it to do. Whether that is to cause the magic to form a barrier over their skin to protect them from harm, take the form of a fireball or storm of ice to attack opponents, or to be forced into a certain form and trapped in an item thus enchanting it. Skilled Magickers could even cause the magic to take the form of a non sentient being who could help them with various tasks or even in battle until it dissipates.

Wielding magic takes training and discipline and there is no limit to the spells that must be learned. To become a Magicker one must attend the academy for three years to even be considered proficient enough in spells to carry that name. Magickers usually carry a spell book to keep track of the spells they discover, without a spell book a Magicker would lose much of their power as they would be forced to rely on their memory alone and the limited spells that it can hold.

Due to the difficult to control nature of magic, some individuals turn to sorcery. Sorcery is not magic, it has nothing to do with Meruna and her gift with mankind and elvenkind, instead it is an extension of the power of the demigods (the children of the gods). Sorcery is earned by striking a bargain with the demigods, usually one promising servitude. In return they allow you to tap into their powers, and use it to your will, but their is always a portion of the sorcery you use that the demigod controls directly, and as such it can go against the will of the mortal wielding it if the demigod so desires it.

Usually sorcerers can only draw the power of a single demigod. And since its practice is illegal because it is considered too dangerous, many sorcerers only practice it in secret. However, due to its ease to use, the fact that you do not require spells, and have no natural limitations, many people turn to sorcery anyway. Sorcery has an affect on what is already tangible in the world. Unlike with magic, if a sorcerer wished to wield fire as a weapon or create a storm of ice, they cannot create it. Instead they have to already be in the presence of fire from torches or a fireplace, or of ice and then they can control that which already exists to their bidding. Necromancy, the temporary reanimation of dead bodies, is another form of sorcery and the one that is most heavily frowned upon (for obvious reasons).

Most individuals cannot control both sorcery and magic, they were not made to be wielded by one master and any attempt to do so will lead to only madness or in some cases death.

So that leaves the question for everyone with the magical potential. Which do you choose? The morally acceptable magic? Or powerful and dark sorcery?

I would love to hear which you would choose! Also don't forget to add Between Gods and Demigods to your to-read list here. If everything goes according to plan it will be out this May. There are only a few short months to go until I release the first introduction to the Rage Like the Gods world, and I couldn't be more excited.